TRAINING PIGEONS IN THE EAST. 169 



From the Ain i Akbari* then, we take the following : — 



" 'Ishqbazi," or Pigeon-flying. 



"His Majesty calls Pigeon-flying 'ishqbazi (love-play). This 

 occupation affords the ordinary run of people a dull kind of 

 amusement; but His Majesty, in His wisdom, makes it a study; 

 he even uses the occupation as a way of reducing unsettled, 

 worldly-minded men to obedience, and avails himself of it as a 

 means productive of harmony and friendship. The amusement 

 which His Majesty derives from the tumbling and flying of 

 Pigeons reminds one of the ecstacy and transport of enthusiastic 

 dervishes ; he praises God for the wonders of creation. It is 

 therefore from higher motives that he pays so much attention to 

 this amusement. 



The Pigeons of the present age (a. d. 1590) have reached a 

 high state of perfection. Presents of Pigeons are sent by the 

 Kings of Iran and Turran ; but merchants also bring very 

 excellent ones in large numbers. 



When His Majesty was very young he was fond of this 

 amusement ; but afterwards, when he grew older and wiser, he 

 discontinued Pigeon-flying altogether. But since then, on mature 

 consideration, he has again taken it up. 



A well-trained Pigeon, of bluish colour, formei-ly belonging 

 to the Khan i 'Azam Kokaltash (Aziz Akbar's foster-brother), 

 fell into His Majesty's hands. From the care which was bestowed 

 upon it by His Majesty, it has since become the chief of the 

 imperial Pigeons, and is known under the name of Mohanah. 

 From it descended several excellent Pigeons, as Ashki (the 

 weeper), Parizad (the fairy), Almas (the diamond), and Shall udi 

 (Aloe Royal). Among their progeny, again, there are the choicest 

 Pigeons in the whole world, which have brought the trained 

 Pigeons of 'Umar Shaikh Mirza (father of Babar Sultan Husain) 

 Mirza into oblivion. Such improvement, in fact, has been made 

 in the art of training, as to astonish the amateurs of Iran and 

 Turan, who had to learn the art from the beginning. 



In former times Pigeons of all kinds were allowed to couple ; 

 but His Majesty thinks equality in gracefulness and performance 

 a necessary condition in coupling) and has thus bred choice 



:;; Blochmann's translation, vol. i. p. '-23S. 



